Students, young women, couples and women of colour have flocked to see therapists during the first 12 months of the Covid pandemic. In a survey of our therapists, welldoing.org has discovered what were the key topics and and how therapy has evolved to suit these unprecedented times.

News of how the Covid pandemic has affected the mental health of sectors of the UK public has been worrying. According to the ONS, record anxiety levels were reached in the first lockdown, and shot back up to that level at the beginning of this year. Depression rates have doubled since pre-pandemic levels with younger adults, women, those unable to afford an unexpected expense, or disabled people most likely to be struggling.

According to the experience of welldoing.org's therapists, the biggest growth of new clients came from young people: under 30, more female than male, often students, and young professionals:

"I saw a much higher than usual demand from university students  in the 19-22 age bracket, generally with anxiety-based issues. There was anxiety to do with changes in the ways they were taught, and they were feeling very isolated at a time that was meant to be social. Even if they don't feel it now, later they will probably feel loss or resentment." 
Chris James, clinical psychologist in South Wales

Also showing greater prominence were BAME clients:

"George Flloyd's death combined with the pandemic so that more people of colour were looking for support. I had more inquiries from young black and Asian women in their late 20s and early 30s in the last 12 months than I had in the previous five years. They didn't specifically want to talk about Black Lives Matter, but anxiety, depression, family issues."
Kimcha Rajkumar,  Canadian-British mixed race therapist in Walthamstow and St Albans

Many had clients working in the NHS from the end of March 2020 welldoing.org made it possible for therapists to offer free therapy to NHS workers :

"I took on  a 25-year old doctor in his first job, on a hospital Covid ward. He felt literally thrown in the deep end, wondering whether he was up to working in the Covid environment, if he would even be able to help. He's not suffering from PTSD so far. But he's seen so much, been through so many individual life-changing episodes, while also trying to balance his life, his relationships, and move forward with his career."
Peter Davies, psychodynamic therapist on the Wirral

Many were first-time therapy-users, who had never expected they would see a professional about their mental health:

"I was approached by more men than usual, and from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. These were men who had never had therapy and were quite uncomfortable about seeking it. Their ordinary lives gave them support - but the prolonged period at home led to regurgitating old problems and rumination. Once they understood they could get their needs met in smaller ways, they responded really well, often in two or three sessions."
Lee Pycroft, Human Givens therapist in South-West London

Clients wanted to speak about

• Anxiety 83%
• Relationships 50%
• Depression 47%
• Social anxiety 26%
• Health Anxiety 21 %
• Bereavement 18%
• Addictions 18%